Amusement device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 1, 1925- R. SATO AMUSEMENTDEVICE Filed Sept. 13, 1925 .5 York,

Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STA nYUJr saro, or Nnwvong, N. Y.'

' AMrrsnMnN'r DnvIcn.

Application led September 13, 1923. ySerial No. 662,502.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RirUJr Saro, a citizen of Japan, residing at NewYork, in the county of have invented new and useful Im'- provements inAmusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement devices or game apparatus designedfor luse in amusement parks and like places The invention embodiesamongst other features, an inclosure in which is arranged a basket likereceptacle, the object of each articipant being to kick as many of apreetermined number of balls allotted for each play into the basket, theballs being kicked slngly and each having a scoring value, remiums beinggiven to those who Y success ullyobtainv a certain high score or better.l A

In carrying out the invention, I provide a novel scoring deviceautomatically actuated by a movab e bottom of the basket like receptacleabove referred to, each ball -entering the basket'passing through thelatter and operating thebottom for the purpose specified.

New York and State of New era'bly consist-s of Another object of theinvention resides inthe novel construction of a coin controlledmechanism operated to releasev the balls from a' runway for play, theballs being singly released orthlsl purpose. i

ther objects and advantages of the invention will appear when thefollowing letailed description isread in connection wit the accompanyingdrawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination andarran einen of partsas claimed.

plication, like numerals of'reference in cate similar parts in theseveral views, and whereinz- Figure 1 is a longtudinal'sectionalview Inthev rawings forming part of this slp ,through the amusement device orgame ap.- p

paratua4 Figure 2 is a sectional view `taken on the ,line 2-20'f Figure1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows. 1' Figure '3 is av fragmentarysectional view showing the operation of the scoringdevce. Figure 4 is asectional view taken on the line if-4 of Figure 3.

5 is a Vsectional view taken on'the line 5 -5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the .line 6--6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is av detail view of thecoin actuated pawl and itscooperatingjpart. L

Figure 8 is a viewsimilar to Figure 7 showing the initial position ofthe pawl when actuated by the coin.v Figure 9 is a'detail view of thecollar which cooperates with the pawl. i'

Figure 1 0 is a detail view of the shaft on which the collar is mounted.

The amusement Adevice is in the nature of a game apparatus, and embodiesan inclosure of elongated contour, and -this inclosu're can beconstructed of any suitable f material and vary in size withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. As shown,`

inv this specific instance, the inclosure' pref.-

a frame 10 includingi a bottom 11, -the frame being covered by wirescreening or Athe like 12. The frame is closed atA one end, but open atthe op osite end'where the player stands in ordp play the game. Arrangedwithin the in'- closure is a runway 13 .to accommodate a predeterminednumber of balls 14, the balls being normally confined within lthisrunway by means of a pivoted door 15. Extending diagonally across thebottom 11 from the innermost end of the runway 13 hy stood that it isAthe object of eac isqa partition 16 which directs the balls into the'runway after the same are played. The

balls 14 may be of any suitable construction for the purpose intended,it bein underplayer of the game to stand at the open erid of theinclosure and kick the balls's'ingly into the basket. like receptacle 17supported at the opposite end of the inclosure. In Figure 1, I haveillustrated a f14 ure 18 representing a layer inthe act of kicking oneof the balls yust described. Each ball has a iixed scor- 1n value, and'the game is successfully layed when'the articipant kicks a certainnumber of the ba lszinto the basket, netting a vhi h score, :for which apremium or the like 1s awarded. The receptacle 17 can of erto'v coursebe of vany suitable size and construetion, but includes a bottom 19pivotedV4 as at 20, the bottom being in a closed position as shownl -inFigure 1, and automatically into an open position as shown in Figure 3by .the weight ofthe ball Apassing therethrough. AThis-bottom 19'y isequipped with an operating arm 21 which controls the operation of ascoring device supportedupon the inclosure in full view of theparticipant, the scores being registered as the ball passes through thereceptacle 17.

This scoring device. preferably embodies a casing 22 having a sightopening in the front wall thereof, which opening is normally closed by atransparent panel 23 through which the scores can be readily seen by theparticipant. Arranged within the casing 22 is a bladed wheel 24, theblades 25 radiating from the wheel and equi-distantly spaced apart. Qneside of each blade is provided with a certain score, the .scores beinguniformly increased in consecutive order of the blades. For instance,the first blade in order is provided with a zero, the next blade isprovided with the next blade and so on, it of course being manifest thatthere is one blade for each of the balls 14 used in playing the game. Itmight also be here stated, that any number of balls can be used with theapparatus, however, eight or ten balls pre t`- erably constitutes a set.The wheel is fixed upon a shaft 26, and this shaft is journalled in anysuitable manner within the'v casing 22. Associated with this shaft is aratchet wheel 27, with which a spring pressed pivoted pawl 28 cooperatesin order to turn the shaft and the bladed wheel step by step to scorethe game. This pawl 28 is carried by an offset extremity 29 of areciprocating rod 30, the latter being vertically disposed at one end ofthe inclosure and operable through suitable guides 31. The operating arm21 above referred to is carried by the pivoted bottom 19 of thereceptacle and is bifurcated to straddle the rod 30, and this armoperates between spaced collars 32 and 33 respectively carried by therod 30. A coil spring 34 encircles the rod 30 and has one end bearingagainst the collar 32 and its opposite end against the free extremity ofthe arm 21) holding the latter against the collar 33, and alsomaintaining the pivoted bottom 19 normally in its closed position. Aseach ball enters the receptacle 17 it drops upon the bottom 19, andautomatically moves the bottom to an open position as shown in Ifigure3. During this movement of the bottom, -the arm 21 is moved upwardlycompressing the spring 34 which provides a connection between the arm 21and the collar 32, so that the rod ,30 is moved upwardly to the positionshown in Figure 3, by dotted lines. It is during this upward movementyof the rod 30 that the ratchet wheel 27 and the bladed wheel 25 isrotated one step or degree, bringing one of the blades 25 to Viewthrough the sight opening 23. As the ball passes from the receptacle 17,the spring 34 functions to return therod 30 to `its lower positionV andautomatically closes the bottom 19 of the receptacle. Those balls thatdrop from the receptacle 17 as well as the balls which fail to enter thereceptacle. drop within the inclosure behind the partition 16, and are4directed to the runway 13, one behind the other as shown in Figure 1.After the game has been played, the scoring device can be convenientlyreturned toy its normal position by reversing the rotation of the bladedwheel 24. It might here. be stated, however that when the wheel isrotated by means of the mechanism just described it is held againstretrograde movement by means ofga leaf spring 35 arranged to bearagainst the hub of the; wheel. For the purpose of returning the scoringdevice to normal position at the completion of the game, I preferablymakel use of a drum 36 which is fixed upon the shaft 26 of the scoringdevice. A flexible cable 37 has one end secured to this drum, anditscopposite end secured to a somewhat similar drum 38 mounted upon acasing 39 which has a coin controlled mechanism for releasing the ballsfrom the runway and which is to be hereinafter' described. However, thisdisposition of the` drum 38 is within convenient reach of theparticipant, the drum being equipped with a handle 40 by means of whichthe drum is rotated. The flexible cable 37 is trained through suitableguides 42 at the closed end of the inclosure, and passes underneath theapparatus through the guide 43 from where it is directed upwardly fromwhere it is connected with the drum 38. When the game is being played,and the bladed wheel rotated for the purpose of scoring the game, thecable 37 is wound about the drum 36, and unwound from the drum 38.However, at the completion of the game, it is only necessary to rotatethe drum 38 by means of the handle 40 in a direction to wind the cableabout said drum andfincidentallyunwind it from the drum 36 which ofcourse, reverses the rotation of the bladedwheel 24 and returns thewheel to its normal position. In playing the game, the participantsstand on a pad or rubber platform 44 which is cut away at one corner asshown in Figure 2, so that'each ball played can be readily removedfromthe pocket or depression 45 at one sideV of the runway 13, the ballsbeing singly dealt from the runway into the pocket or depression, untilall of the balls have been played. In passing of the balls from therunway 14 to the pocket 45 is as above stated controlled by the pivoteddoor '15, the latter being associated with a short lever 46 pivoted asvat 47. This lever is connected to the manually operable lever 48 bymeans of a link 49, the normal position of the lever being shown by fulllines in Figure 6, and its active position` shownby dotted lines in thesame ligure. When the lever is in its normal posltion, the-door 15 isclosed,land when the lever is moved rearwardly toward the participant,the door predetermined number of balls used in playing the game haveassed through the 'runway or depression, a er which the door is lockedin its closed position and cannot .be released for further movement bythe lever 48, until a coin,of the'proper denomination has been insertedinto thel coin slot of lthe casing 34. Arranged within this casing is acoiled spring 51, one end of which is connected to the casingv 30 andits other end connected'with the vadjacent end of the lever 48, thespriug'operatmg to normally hold the lever in the position shown' byfull linesin Figure 6 andthe door 15 closed. Journalled within thecasing 39 is a shaft 53 upon which is pvoted the manually operable.lever 48. J This shaft is rotated step by step, each .operation of thelever 48 is through the instrumentality of a ball andratchet connectionas illustrated. The ratchet wheel 54 is fixed u 4on the shaft. 53, whilethe pawl 55 is carrie by the lever 48, and each time the lever-.is movedrearwardly to open the door, thev shaft 53 is rotated a predetermined.-distance. In other words, the ratchet wheel 54 makes one completerevolution .to effect the release of all of the balls from the runway13, the ratchet wheel having one tooth for each balljas` will be readilunderstood. yLooselymounted upon the s aft 53 and at one side of theratchet wheel 54 is a collar 56 clearly shown in Figure 9, and notchedvas at 57 to receive the offset extremity58 of the pivoted pawl 59. Thlspawl is pivotedv at aoint between ts ends on a suitable brac etarranged.

within the casing' 34the opposite end ofthe .pawl heilig' 'revelSelyOffset and provided with a coin receiving recess y60 which normallycoincides with the coin slot 61 of the casin'g- 39. The pawl normallymaintains the collar '50 fixed with relation tothe shaft 53, so that themechanism cannot be oper- 1 ated to .open the door. 15 until the pawl 59.is actuated to release the collar 56. This is recess 60 of theaccomplished by .inserting within the coinslot 61 a coin Aof pro erdenomination, which coin passes throng the slot into the pawl. 4 The;weight of the coin overbalancing the pawl 59, thus moving the latter outof the notch `57 of lthe collar56. lThis-collar is peculiarly4constructed, so that just as soon'as'the awl 59 is actuated under theinfluenceoft e coin Yjustreferred to, thev collar will be initiallyrotated a predetermineddistanc'e toi ove the notch A57 thereof outofalignment with .the pawl 59 is shown 1n Figure'7, and just the operatingextremity7 of the pawl 59, so that the -latter cannot-be again receivedby the notch 57 upon its return to normal position. Manifestly the coindrops from the pawl 59 into 'the casing 39 when the pawl is swung uponits pivot, this operation is clearly shown by dotted lines in Figure 8,just as soon as the coin .separates itself from the pawl, thev lattergravitates to its normal position but not into the notch 57 of thecollar 56. In .order to obtain thisinitial movement of thecollar -56 forthe purpose l'above stated, Lprovide the collar at one end with ahollow. boss 62 of arcuate shape formation, the boss being closed at oneend and open at its opposite end as clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8.This boss operates between angularly disposed lugs 63 and 64 whichproject from the shaft 53. Arranged within this hollow boss 62 is acoiled spring 65, one end. of which bears against the closed end of theboss, while the opposite end of the spring bears. against the lug 64.The normal position of these parts with relation to as' soon as the pawlis actuated under the shown by dotted lines in Figure 8, at which timethe spring 65 expands slightly turning the collar 56 upon the shaft53'to move the notch 57 to a position where it cannot again weight ofthe coin, it assumes the position receivethe working end of the-pawluntil the collar 56 has made one complete revolution. This initialadjustment of the collar 56 is shown in Figure 8, wherein it will benoted that the closed end of the hollow boss is now in contactingengagement with the 63l of the shaft 53, Withthe parts in thls position,the lever 48 can be actuated in the'manner above vdescribed each time aball is 'needed from the runway 13, and when the distinct number ofballs to which lthe player is entitled to has--been released from therunway, the collar. 56 .will have made one complete revolution brlnglngthe notch 57 back to its normal position where movv it can againrecelvethe working endofffthe pawl 59, this of course locking the mech-` anismagainst further operation until `another coin is inserted nuthin thecoln slot 61.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the natureandadvantages of -the invention willbe readily apparent, I

limit myself to what is herein shown and described, and that such cha-nes may be resorted -to when desired as all within `the sco e' of what isclaimed.Y

aving thus described the invention, I

to besingly kicked in the irecton ofthe receptacle-vinl an' effort todeposit said balls vdesire to have it understood that I do not therein,each ball opening the pvoted bottom of the receptacle as it passesthrough the latter, a scoring device, means automatically operable toactuate the scoring device with each opening of the bottom of saidreceptacle, and a runway arranged upon the bottom of theinclosuretoreceive said balls.

2. In a game apparatus, coin controlled mechanism therefor including acasing, a normally closed door, a shaft mounted with# in the casing` forrotation, a manually oper able lever pivoted on the shaft and connectedwith said door and adapted to open the latter upon movement of the leverin one direction,la ratchet Wheel Xed to said shaft, a

pawl carried by the lever and engaging said wheel to rotate said shaftintermittently, a collar loosely mounted on the shaft for initialrotation independently thereof, said Wheel having a notch, and a coinactuated p aWl pivoted within the casing and normally received by saidnotch to prevent rotation of the shaft and movement of said lever, andmeans for initially rotating said collar incident to the initialmovement of said -pa\vl, whereby the notch is moved out ot alignmentwith the latter for the purpose specified.

In testimony7 whereof I atlix my signature.

RYUJ'I SATO.

